Toronto Arrows, Canada's lone Major League Rugby team, cease operations

The Toronto Arrows, the lone Canadian entry in Major League Rugby, are closing shop.

Major League Rugby said in a statement Monday night that the Arrows "will cease operations, effectively immediately, and not compete in the 2024 MLR season."

The league said it and the Arrows "explored all avenues in an effort to maintain the club's presence in the league. Unfortunately, after exhausting all options, Toronto was left with no choice but to voluntarily withdraw from the league."

Arrows co-founder Mark Winokur called it "a very sad day."

"A lot of people put a lot of work into this. It's extremely disappointing," said Winokur, the team's former GM who still has an ownership stake in the franchise.

The Arrows, who joined the league in 2019, have endured tough times of late. The team finished last in the 12-team league at 1-13-2 after an injury-plagued 2023 season.

In August, the franchise was rocked by the death of Bill Webb, the club's president and general partner, from prostate cancer. He was 59.

While Webb was the majority owner, there were seven other co-owners.

At the time, the club said Webb's family wanted the Arrows to continue and that "the entire organization will work to honour that wish and continue Bill's indelible legacy."

But that proved not possible.

"Despite extensive efforts, carrying on following the passing of Bill Webb was simply too great a challenge for the club to overcome," Arrows GM Tim Matthews said in a statement.

The team finished the season on a 13-game losing streak with its lone win coming March 11, a 27-26 decision at the expansion Chicago Hounds. Ravaged by injuries, the Arrows were missing 14 players in their season-ending 26-24 loss to the visiting NOLA Gold on June 17.

Coach Peter Smith